Digital Travel Tips that Get You to Your Destination Quicker and Cheaper

Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, one of the biggest challenges is actually just “getting there”. We use a digital technology to our advantage in most every aspect of our lives, so why not use it when traveling? We have some digital travel tips that will help you plan out a way to get to your destination quickly and for less money. First, we will go over our two golden rules for planning travel: planning ahead and being flexible. We will show you how those two rules will help you with your flights, hotel, and car rental. Next, we will cover some of the latest travel apps and show you how they can help add convenience and savings to your next trip.

Golden Rule of Travel #1: Plan Ahead

First and foremost, when you plan your travel, try to plan as far in advance as possible. Check the websites of your “go to” travel sites for discounts and special offers. Look for online deals for your flights, hotel, and car rental. Look at the websites for the companies you use and also search the web for specific special offers. Sure, there is something to be said about wanderlust and spontaneity; and it is even possible to find last minute travel deals too. So it’s never too late to save some money, but for the most convenience and most savings, plan ahead. One of the best digital tools to help you plan the rest of your stay ahead of time is Concierge.com. This site lets you explore things to do in your destination city and even offers some off beat travel suggestions you may have not even known about.

Golden Rule of Travel #2: Be Flexible

If you plan your travel far enough in advance, it might give you the chance to be flexible and take advantage of discounts. You can find deals available for one weekend over another or weekday vs. weekend. Chances are that the times that are less expensive are also less crowded. This can be a bonus and save you time and stress as well.

Flights

Your airfare price can be much lower when you plan ahead and are flexible to the dates. When booking flights online, most websites offer the ability to view the least expensive pricing for a range of dates instead of using specific dates and times. Take the time to adjust your search a few times to see if fares and flights make a big enough difference for you to book your flight for a different day or even just a different time. You can also explore different types of flights and save a great deal of time by finding direct flights that might leave at different times of the day. Airlines like Qantas that have a points, loyalty or frequent flyer program also work in your favour when you plan ahead before flights are sold out or have the flexibility to book a different flight and use your points or rewards.

Hotels

Rather than waiting for remnant sales, planning ahead can get you the lowest rate at the hotel you want to stay at. It also means less chance of the hotel selling out. Check out brand sites for hotels and also compare rates on the hotel comparison sites. Some of these sites have loyalty programs just like the hotels do, so if you are looking for a bargain and don’t always stay in the same brand hotel, you can still take advantage of getting a free day or rewards points. Hotels.com offers the 11th night free. So no matter what hotel you stay at, as long as you book through them, your 11th night is free.

Car Rental

At Apex Car Rentals, we post special deals and offers on our website every month. Some of the offers are for certain vehicles or days of the week. Planning that in advance can save you big bucks. There is also almost always a free day available when you rent for a certain number of days, you can get one day free. In some cases, you might be able to extend your vacation for little or no cost when you combine the free day’s car rental with staying over on a less expensive night or finding a cheaper flight time.

Travel Apps Save you Time and Money

In addition to saving you time and money, travel apps add convenience and can really help enhance your travel. Nowadays, there are apps for everything from local perspectives, reviews, to off the beaten path ideas and suggestions. Here are 5 applications we recommend you download before your next trip!

Plnnr: Plnnr is an app that helps you plan your next trip over the internet. You can set up an itinerary and things to do through the site. The app auto generates some itineraries based on your preferences too. Since this is a live mobile app, it helps you plan by including working days, hours of operation for local businesses, distance, travel times, and more. Your trip can be much smoother with this app and helps you avoid common travel obstacles.

CouchSurfing:CouchSurfing is one of the best ways to plan ahead for your travel while just sitting on your couch. The network gives you access to 10 million interesting locals in over 230 countries all over the world. You can find out about places to visit near your destination and even find out about organising events and finding places to stay.

Timeout:Timeout is a great way to find out more about what’s happening and what you can do in the city you are visiting. The categories include film, music, arts & culture, and food & drink.

SpottedbyLocals:SpottedbyLocals is one of the best ways to get insider tips from locals about the city you are visiting. They have compiled city guides for 66 cities so far that have up-to-date insider tips from locals who love and live in the city.

Dinner Lab: If you are a foodie traveler, then Dinner Lab and DishCrawl by Dinner Lab are the apps for you. Dinner Lab is a nomadic dining experience where you can try new recipes from rotating chefs. It’s only available in select U.S. cities right now, but if it is in the city you are visiting, treat your inner foodie to a great travel experience.

Summary
Using digital apps and internet to your advantage will help make your travel experiences much more enjoyable. Plan ahead and be flexible so that you can take advantage of the best deals and slowest travel times. Then, use digital to your advantage and download travel apps to help make the most of each of your travel destinations.